Recently I heard Dr. Henry Cloud speak at the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit. He talked about failures putting us on a mental death spiral. At first we take the failure Personally. "I'm not good at this." We especially take it personally when others are critical of our performance whether they are customers, peers, family, or friends. Then we make the failure Pervasive. "I'm not good at anything." The failure then becomes Permanent. "I'll never be any good. There's no hope." He pointed out that this death spiral is the brain's reaction to a job loss, relationship loss, project catastrophe or some other misstep in an important arena of our lives.
It's easy to see this with regard to the exiles heading to Babylon in Daniel 1. During the long march to Babylon, I'm sure the soldiers were not cheering them on: "You can do this! You're almost there. Look at you go there, big guy!" Instead they were piling on the personal, pervasive and permanent misery. "You suck. Your army sucks. Your homes suck. Your mothers, wives, sisters and daughters are worthless too." They had nothing left and nothing to look forward to.
Dr. Cloud asserts that, according to studies, there are 3 things to do to get out of the death spiral. Acknowledge and Dispute the complaints and the negative thoughts (put them in perspective). Take control of the things you can do (make phone calls, improve reports and presentations, get some new skills). Stay connected with loved ones, especially with the One who loves you unconditionally.
In chapter 9, Daniel is studying Jeremiah's letter to the exiles, and it fits with the social scientific advice of getting out the Babylonian funk. Jeremiah writes in chapter 29: Do what you can--build homes, plant gardens. And you can do this--you will eat from the work of your hands; you don't need handouts. Marry and get your kids married. Build up some relationships. Put your talents to good use, toward the peace and prosperity of the land. God has not forsaken you. This too shall pass, in 70 years. Wrong was done, but this will expunge it for you. This is God's plan to protect you (see 29.11 one of the most quoted verses in the Bible). It'll be much worse for the others left behind....I know what the Babylonians told you as they marched you away, and don't listen to the false prophets. I will come to do good things for you, and bring you home."
The Lord is telling them: dispute the lies (you're still My people); take control (build homes, plant gardens, marry, work hard); it's not permanent.
